1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in server processes, and specifically to a method for maintaining the ability of a parent server process to communicate with one or more client processes.
2. Description of the Related Art
The reliability of a server process in a client server computer system is critical. The server must ensure that each client request is serviced reliably with very little and preferably no loss of data. Server processes are usually monitored by a separate monitor process. Such monitor processes can detect when the associated server process has failed, for example by crashing. In response to this, the monitor will initiate a replacement server process to resume the functions previously performed by the failed server process.
This approach has the inherent disadvantage that each client has to detect the failure of the server process through its network connection and reconnect to the replacement server process.